Chapter 63: The Face in my Memories.

Raven's POV

I dug deeper into the files, searching for more information about all of this.

Now that I had discovered Drew was directly involved in whatever happened to Adrian and me, I needed more answers.

I began searching through every file I could find until I came across one.

On the front page, it read:

R-01 — Raven Monroe

R-02 — Adrian

This caught my attention, and I opened the file.

Inside, it read:

Extraction Successful

Secondary Subject — Removed.

I furrowed my brows in confusion.

Secondary subject?

Was there a third subject?

I continued reading.

Memory Procedure: Authorized.

Authorization — D. Monroe.

I immediately froze.

This name again.

Who was this D. Monroe?

The initials sounded familiar, but perhaps that was only because they were similar to my mother's.

I sighed. My head felt like it was splitting in two.

I decided I had had enough for the day and kept the file.

Just as I moved to close it, I noticed a handwritten note pinned to the side of the page.

“The third subject must remain separated.”

“Who was this third subject?” I muttered to myself.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to keep digging for information about the third subject. I searched through every file I could find, but to no avail.

There was nothing on the third subject.

Suddenly, the door opened.

I turned to see Dael standing there, his mask covering his face as usual. He carried a tray of food, which he placed on the table.

“Eat,” he ordered.

Instead, I threw the file at him, my eyes sharp.

“Who is the third subject?” I asked.

And just like the last time, I watched his body tense up before quickly relaxing.

He didn't give me an answer.

He began to head for the door, but I wasn't going to let him leave without giving me something.

“Was there another child?” I asked angrily, following him toward the door.

Dael stopped once he reached the door, his hand resting on the doorknob.

Then he replied.

“There wasn't supposed to be three.”

And he was out the door.

\---

Adrian's POV

Just as I finished my call with the mysterious stranger, my phone rang.

It was Styles.

I cleared my throat, forcing the emotion from my voice as I pressed the answer button.

“Hey, what's up?”

“Hey, man. Where are you?” Styles rasped, his voice still rough, probably because he had just woken up.

“Oh, um... I decided to go get some fruits for you for a fast recovery.”

Styles stayed quiet, as if he didn't believe me.

“Really?” he questioned.

“Yeah, I'm on my way back now,” I replied, picking up both files before rushing out of the facility. “I'll be there in an hour.”

“Okay.”

Styles agreed, then the line went dead.

I jumped into my car and sped down the road, making a mental note to stop at a supermarket or fruit stand.

I couldn't stop thinking about the boy, the memory I had gotten, and the mysterious man's cryptic answers.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain pierce through my skull.

I slammed on the brakes immediately as images flashed through my mind.

A boy was crying, but this time, his face was blurred. I could tell he was crying from his sniffles.

“I want to go home,” the little boy cried, stomping his feet against the ground.

“You can't,” the other little boy said immediately.

“Why can't I?” I grumbled.

“Because if they find out you're awake, they'll take you too.”

“Who did they take first, and who is going to take me?”

Before the boy could answer, I snapped back to reality.

I looked around.

I was parked in the middle of the road.

I let out a groan before starting my car again.

So, the boy was protecting me?

Was he the one the mysterious man was talking about?

My phone rang immediately.

It was the mysterious man.

I picked up the call.

“He's the boy, right? The one you said was protecting me.”

Silence.

Then—

“You're getting closer. Good.”

“Who is he?” I asked sharply.

Again, the line went quiet.

“Was he also a part of the Aster Project?” I asked.

“Yes... partially,” the man replied. “But he was also the reason Aster failed.”

I clenched my jaw in anger.

“What does that even mean?”

The call ended.

I sighed, running a hand down my face and flinching when my injured shoulder stung.

I immediately remembered Styles and sped down the road.

I had an hour to get there, or he would start asking questions.

\---

Dael's POV

I sat alone in my small dorm room, staring at a picture of Adrian and me.

The door swung open, and one of my men entered.

“So, what's your plan? You're keeping her in that room surrounded by secrets from her past?” he asked.

I didn't look away from the picture as I answered.

“Simple.” I shrugged. “I want her to remember. I want them both to remember.”

He nodded.

“Well, your plan seems to be working. Adrian is starting to remember too.”

“I know.”

I lifted my gaze to him.

“So... do we proceed with the next step?” he asked, and I shook my head.

“Not yet.”

My expression hardened.

“He still doesn't remember what happened to me... to us. I need him to remember that.”

“And when he does? Then what?”

I stood from my chair and walked to the mirror before removing the mask covering my face.

Those same blue eyes glared back at me, as if they were judging me, telling me I wasn't good enough.

“Dael?”

The man's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I turned to him, trying to maintain my calm exterior.

“When he does, then we'll see if he still sees me as a betrayer—if he still believes I betrayed him.”

“What if he still thinks that way? What if he still believes you betrayed him? What if he still hates you?”

I swallowed, knowing these questions were bait.

I knew there was only one answer I could give.

“If he still thinks I betrayed him, if he still despises me, then I'll do what needs to be done.”

I looked back at the photograph of Adrian.

“I'll end him.”